1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mold, a manufacturing method of the mold, a method for forming patterns using the mold, and a display substrate and a display device manufactured by using the method for forming patterns.
2. Discussion of the Background
A photolithography process has been widely used to form display elements and electronic devices. However, the photolithography process typically requires expensive equipment such as exposure equipment and high-priced masks. The expensive equipment and masks increases initial investment cost and decreases economic benefit. Furthermore, there is a limitation in forming hyperfine patterns using the photolithography process.
In order to overcome the disadvantages of the photolithography process, an imprint lithography technology was introduced. The imprint lithography does not require masks because it forms resist patterns by a process like stamping a seal on a substrate. The imprint lithography process may be used to manufacture hyperfine patterns in quantity with comparatively less cost.
The imprint lithography process forms a resist layer over a substrate and carves a predetermined pattern in the resist layer using a mold having the predetermined pattern. Then, a hardening process is performed through exposure or heat treatment, and a resist pattern is formed by separating the mold from the resist layer. A metal layer where a pattern is formed is etched using the formed resist pattern, and the resist pattern is then removed through a stripping process.
With this process, the mold is separated from the substrate after performing the above described processes. Since the mold may break due to high pressure applied to the process of carving the patterns of the mold at the resist layer or since the mold is closely adhered to the resist layer, the mold may not be properly separated from the resist layer. That is, a part of the resist layer may be left on the surface of the mold. In this case, an additional process is performed to clean the surface of the mold so that the mold may be reused. Also, this shortens the life span of the mold.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.